Sheet-feeding machine.



J. G. HARDIE.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 1, 1909.

Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J. G. HARDIE. SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAE. 1, 1909 Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

4 SHEET INVENTOR Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

R 0 TI N E V N FFT JAMES G. BARBIE, OF C ANTON, NEW YORK.

SHEET-FEEDING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES G. HARDIE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Canton, in the. county of St. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet- Feeding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improve ments in sheet-feeding machines of the sheet-combing type in which the stack of sheets is acted upon by feed-combing de vices which comb or feather out the top sheets of the stack to gradually separate the successive sheets near the top, so that they may be drawn from the stack periodically and fed to any machine arranged to operate upon the individual sheets.

My present invention relates to improved features of construction particularly as follows: 1. Means for retarding the sheets in the stack. 2. Means for tilting the combarbor. 3. Means to keep the top of the stack of sheets at a uniform height. 1. Means to transfer each sheet from the feeding machine proper to the machine which will operate upon the sheets, 5. Means to place each sheet against stops in the machine that will act upon the sheet.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, 1 will first describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings and afterward more particularly point out the novelty of each feature.

In the accompanying drawings similar figures refer to similar parts.

Figure 1 is the side elevation of what is termed the right side, showing the rear of a cyliiuler-printing press, from which the power is understood to be received. An end view of the elevator is shown with a stack of papers thereon. Also a side view of the mechanism that carries the sheet from the feeder to the printing press. Fig. 2 illustrates the left side of the feeder with the transfer mechanism elevated from the printing press table. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. lis a sectional view of a portion of the main frame of the feeder and the transfer mechanism between the feeder and the printing press. Fig. 5 is a modified form" of a portion of the main frame ofthe feeder and the transfer mechanism. Fig. 6 is a view of the gearing mechanism which rotates the combing devices. Fig. 7 is a rear sectional Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 1, 1909.

Patented Oct. 6, 1914:.

Serial No. 480,810.

view, showing a portion of the side-frame of the combing devices and the means which operate them. Fig. 8 is an end view of the combing-arbor and its bearing with the connections between it and the cam which oper ates it. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the tape-trucks and the feed-trucks in the delivery mechanism -Fig. 10 is an end view of the means for regulating the height of the stack of sheets. Fig. v11 is a front view of the mechanism for regulating the height of the stack of sheets. Fig. 12 is a side view of the means for placing the sheets against the stops. Fig. 13 is an end view of the means for placing the sheets against the stops.

Manner of 0peratz'0n.The sheets to be feel are placed in a stack on the elevator 23.

Figs. 1, 2, the top sheet of which contacts the segment 109, Fig. 10. The operator stands upon the platform 110, Fig. 1, and by raising the lever 113-will close the switch 120, thus applying the motive power, which is transmitted through the arbors 5 and i (and other mechanism explained later on), that rotate the combs which start the top sheet. into the bite between the upper and lower set of delivery tapes 48 and 53. The

sheet is then carried against the stop 59, Fig.

1, the stop is then oscillated downward and allows it to pass on between the feed-trucks, 57 and 58, Fig. 9, the front edge passing un der the drop-roll 67, and over the advancing-roll 86, which carries the sheet near to the stops on the machine to which it is being delivered. The reciprocating-frame 81, Fig. 3, then pushes the sheet forward against the stops.

Description in detail.

pivoted to the frame 114, with suitablelink between the lever 113 and the power connecting mechanism 120, which 'th'e illustration represents an electric-current switch. Thus by raising the lever 118 the i switch 120 is closed. but by pulling downward the lever 113 the switch is opened and through the connection 115 the brake 116 is f applied to the fly-wheel 117. The object of the stack and also that this means may be so regulated and adjusted to adapt itself to the proper retarding of variousklnds of paper, so that the combing devices will ad-.

vance only the top sheet without unduly advancing the succeeding sheets. Also the form of means must be such that it can be quickly set for sheets of various sizes. This device is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in the form of an arm having several joints and terminated in a fiat shoe. 99 is the said arm rigidly attached the frame tie-rod 106 and 100 and 101 are links attached to the arm 99. 102 is a link pivotally attached to 101 and the shoe 103. 104 is a rod suitably fixed to the shoe 103, and 105 is an adjustable weight upon the rod 1041-. Thus by the links 100 and 101 the shoe can be moved forward as may be necessary according to the width of the stack it rests upon. The link 102 being pivotally attached admits of the shoe adjusting itself to anycvariation of the top surface of the stack. The weight 105 will regulate the friction between the shoe and the stack of sheets combed. If desired the under side of the shoe may be covered with any flexible material.

The eZeoat0r.The elevator consists of a suitable framework havin a covering and hearings on each end to taie vertical-screws which are suitably journaled in the framework, and which are operated by the bevelgears 21 which operatively connect the screws with the ratchetarbor 20. The ratchet-arbor is rotated by the ratchet 19, the pawl-arm 22, the pawl 13,the link 11, which is pivotally attached to the bevel-gear 8. Thus as the gear 8 rotates the elevator is intermittently raised, and whenever desired it is lowered by the hand-wheel 127,

The combing deoice.-In a sheet-feeding machine in which the stack of papers is carried upward on an intermittently-movable elevator and where the combing device rotates and at the same time is intermittently raised and lowered to contact the top sheet of the stack, and because the top surface of the stack of sheets is usually uneven it, therefore, is desirable tohave means by which the combing devices may be, at any time, so set that they will create on the top sheet the same amount of friction at whatever point they contact, and also that this amount of friction may be increased .or decreased at the will of the operator as the surface of the paper may. require. These devices are shown in Figs. 4, 5,6, 7 and 8. In Fig. 7 are shown, sectional views of the frame 1 and 2, which constitutes the bearings forthe main arbor 9, which is continuously rotated While the machine is in operation. On arbor 9 are ri -idly mounted the cams 32. Riding upon t ese cams are the trucks 34, which are pivotallyattached to the connecting links 33. Thus in each rotation of the arbor 9 the links 33 are raised and lowered, and the shape of the cams 32 will determine the time at which the links 33 may remain at their lowest point. In one of the links 33 is pivotally located one ,of the. comb arbor bearings 92 which is pivoted inthe link 33, on the stud 91 while %in the other link 33 is placed the other bear ling of the comb-arbor 35, which has a vertifcal movement as shown in Fig. 8. The ob- .ject of this vertical movement is that at any time the operator may raise or lower one end bf the arbor 35 so that the combing devices 36 will each contact the top sheet with the same amount of friction. the comb-arbor, 37 is the adjustable bearing, 38 is a spring to hold the bearing downward, while the screw 39 when rotated by the gears 40 will raise or lower the hearing 37. 42 is an arbor journaled in the'bearing 41 on the link 33, and in Fig. 2 on the arbor 4-2 is shown a hand-wheel 90 by which the operator at any time can ad ust the combing devices.

In Fi 7 and Fig. 6 are shown the gearing medhanism that rotates the arbor 35. In Fig. 6, 29 is a power-driven arbor journaled in the frame carrying a pinion 25, which engages the spur-gear 10 on the arbor 9. Thus in the operation of the machine the gear 43 on arbor 29 is continuously rotated and engages the intermediate 44, which in turn engages the gear 46 upon the combarbor 35. The arbors 35 and 29 are kept in alinement by the links 45. Thus in the operation of the machine the combing devices,

[36, upon the arbor 35, are continuously rotated by the train of gears 46, 44 and 43, +13 being rigid upon the arbor 29 and the pinion 25 upon arbor 29 is engaged with the power-driven gear 10 upon the main arbor 9, and the cams 32 being rigid upon the main arbor 9 at each revolution raise and lower the links 33, carrying with them the links 45. It is understood that the gears which 1'02- tate the comb arbor will be set sufficiently far apart that the slight change of the op posite' end of the comb-arbor, in making adjustments, will not bind the gears, but will allow them to work freely, as the adjustment of the arbor will be very slight and will throw the gears only a little out of alinement. The pile regulatorafiln a sheet-feeding machine of the design in which there is an elevator carrying upward a stack of sheets until they contact combing devices which In Fig. 8, 35 is have a fixed and determined point in their descent, it is necessary to have means that will stop]- the upward movement of the elevator w en the top of the stack of sheets has reached a certain height and to so operate the elevator-raising mechanism as to keep the height of the stack of sheets substantially at that height. To accomplish this I use the devices shown in Figs. 10 and 11 in connection with the pawl and ratchet shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 10, 106 is the stationary-frametie-bolt; to which the arm 107 is rigidly attached, and pivoted to that arm is the bell-crank 108. J ournaled in its short arm is the arbor 16, on which is located the segment 109.

121 is an adjusting-screw to raise and lower the se ment. The arbor 16 passes through the frame 1. On the outer end is the finger 15.

In Fig. 1, 14 is a pawl-shoe pivoted to the frame 1, and is of about the same curvature as the ratchet 19. The arm 22 is pivotally hung on the ratchet-arbor 20, and carries in its lower end, and pivoted to it a pawl, pivoted between its ends, one end of .which is shaped to engage the ratchet, the other end to ride upon the pawl-shoe. Thus in the operation of the feeder when the stack of sheets has reached a height to contact the bottom of the segment which is suitably located over the stack of sheets and as the combing devices draw the top sheet forward the friction between the top sheet and the segment will rotate the segment and turn the linger 15 upward, which has the effect of lifting the pawl-shoe let upward and that in turn raises one end of the pawl so that the pawl becomes inoperative, and though the pawl-arm E22 continuously reciprocates back and forth, yet the ratchet will remain idle, therefore causing the elevator to stop in its upward movement. The elevator will remain stationary until a sufficient number of sheets have been drawn from below the segment 109 to eliminate the friction between the stack of sheets and the segment, and then the segment will, by gravity, rotate back to its normal position, which will cause the finger 15 to be turned downward, lowering the end of the shoe 14, and as the idle end of the pawl is heavier than the work end, the pawl will then engage the ratchet and again start the elevator in its upward movement. By adjusting the screw 121 the segmentbearing will be raised or lowered vertically, thus settingit in position as may be necessary according to the smoothness of the surface of the sheets. By raising or lowering the segment 109 the friction between the combing devices and the stack of sheets can be increased or decreased to suit the necessary pull of the combing devices on the difierent grades and smoothness of the surface of the sheets.

'erably located about the center of the machine in each direction.

18 is a'handle'pivoted to the frame 1 by which the pawl-shoe can be placed in the be inoperative.

The Wrmsfen-In car'ryinga sheet from the feeder proper to the machine on which it will be operated it is essential that the rately. In this" invention 1 use a transfer and a delivery table'which, taken together, constitute this means. In Fig. 1 is illustrated a sectional view of this mechanism. In

held together by the tie-bolts 125 and 126 constitute the transfer-frame, which is pivotally mounted upon the main feed-roll 30. To this framework is pivotally attached the table 64. ln Fig. 4:,30 is the main feed-roll, around which pass tapes 31, which carry the sheet from the stack to the main feed-roll 30. On the main feed-roll 30 is the gear 28, in engagement with the power-driven 26 and 27. In the framework t? is journaled the arbor 50, on which is rigidly mounted tape-carrying trucks 49, as shown in Fig. 9, and around these trucks pass tapes 48. Also journaled in frame 47 are the arbors 51 and 55. Upon the arbor 55 are loosely mounted tape-carrying trucks '51, and upon arbor 51 are tape-carrying 53. Also on arbor 51 is the sheet-feed-truck 56, which contacts the main feed-roll 30 and is rotated in unison by friction therewith. As shown in Fig. 9, there is mounted upon arbors 50 and 55 the delivery-sheet-trucks 57 and 58. It will be observed that the feed-roll 30 and feed-truck 56 are in frictional contact and that delivery-trucks 57 and 58 are in frictional contact. This is so the sheet positively, while the trucks'57 and 58 will deliver the sheets positively. It will be observed that the main feed-roll 30 and the tape-truck 59. do not contact, and that the-tape-trucks l9 and 5 do not contact. The object of this is that the tapes 4-8 and 53 are held apart, excepting as the top portion of the tape is allowed to sag at the middle, so that when the sheet strikes the stop 59 the friction between the tapes will not roll the front edge of the sheet, but will allowthe sheet to lie loosely upon the tapes 18 and thus become perfectly squared to the stop 59. It is understood that the largest sheet will be less than the distance from the stop 59 to the bite of the rolls 30 and 56. lhe diameter of the tape-truck 52 being less than the diameter of the feed-truck 56, the tapes 53 will not travel as fast as the tapes 48; therefore it is necessary that the The device shown in Figs. 10 and 11 is prefsheet shall be carried positively and accu- Fig. 3 is a plan view in which 17 and a7 gear 10, through the intermediate gears 25, f

trucks 52 and around these pass the tapes 1 that roll 30 and truck 56 will take hold of position that the pawl will be held so as to tapetrucks 54 shall be loosely mounted on the arbor 55, because the arbor 55 is rotated by the delivery-trucks 57 and 58, and as the arbor 50 is rotated by the tapes 4C8, traveling at the same surface speed as the roller 30, it follows that thetape-truck 54 will have to move upon the arbor 55. It is desirable that the tapes 53 should travel a little slower than the tapes 18 so as to have the tendency, by slightly sagging, to retard the incoming sheet so that it will not strike the stop 59 hard enough to rollits front edge. Upon the arbor 60 is rigidly at tached the arm 61, which is connected with the bell-crank 63 by the connecting-rod 62. The short end of the bell-crank 63 rides upon a cam not shown upon the main arbor 9, the cam operating the crank in one direction, while the spring 12 pulls the bellcrank 63 in the opposite direction. This has the effect of intermittently raising and lowering the sto 59. Thus, in the operation of the transfer the sheet is carried from the combing devices 36 to the main feed-roll 30 on the short tapes 31 and the front edge of the sheet is caught in the bite of the roll 30 and feed-truck 56 before the combing devices are lifted oil of it, thus making a positive movement from. the stack of the sheets to the bite of the'feed-roll. The sheet is then carried on the tapes 48 and held upon them by tapes 53 until the front edge of the sheet reaches the stop 59, which squares the sheet to the line of travel. The stop 59 is then lowered and the tapes again start the sheet and deliver it into the bite of the delivery-trucks 57 and 58. These trucks advance the sheet until the front edge of the sheet has passed between the truck 86on the advancingnrbor 124: and the truck 87 on the drop-roll 67.

The distance between the truck 86 and the delivery trucks 57 and 58 being less than the width of the smallest sheet, therefore the front edge of any sized sheet to be fed will always reach the truck 86 before it leaves the delivery-trucks 57 and 58. The droproll 67 is operated by an arm rigid to it, 73,

and connected with a bell-crank by the connecting-rod 74:. The bell-crank 75 contacts a cam on the main arbor 9, not shown, and is held in contact with the cam by the pull-spring 76. The drop-roll 67 is so arranged that it will contact the truck 86 sufficiently to forward the sheet until the front edge of the sheet nearly reaches the guidestop against which the sheet is intended to be placed. The drop-roll 67 is then raised so that the sheet will practically come to a stop, but will then be pushed. to the stops by devices described later on. Suitably pivoted to the arbor 65 and operated by the droproll 67 are devices 88 to retard the sheet and overcome its momentum. These devices 88 rest upon the table 64 and pass above the armiarei bor 67 and are so shaped that thearbor 67 rises part way before it contacts the retarding devices 88 and then lifts the retarding devices 0d of the sheet. The sheet then will be lying loosely upon the delivery-table, not quite up to the stops against which it is to be fed, but it will have been practically brought to rest by the action of the retarding devices lying upon it before they were raised off of the sheet by the upward movement of the drop-feed-roll.

It will be observed that owing to the shape of the retarding devices that the drop-roll will be raised a portion of its movement before it lifts the retarding devices off of the sheet. The object of so shaping the retarding devices is that the drop-roll will be ralsed off of the sheet and so cease its advancing effect upon the sheet while the retarding devices still remain on the sheet to overcome the momentum of the sheet, the object of which is that the sheet may not be thrown with too great force against the stops by its momentum.

In Fig. 5is shown a modification .of the transfer mechanism between the feeder proper and the machine being fed. The modification consists of using two additional arbors, journaled in the framework, which are pivotally attached to the main feed-roll.

On these additional arbors are mounted the tape-trucks, while the feed-trucks remain as in Fig. 4. Means will be used, though not shown, by which these tapes will be driven.

Shect-pZa0er.-Tn Fig. 3 is shown a plan view of a reciprocating member, the function of which is to move the sheet forward from the place where it was left by the retarding devices, up to and against the stops or guides against which the sheet is intended to be placed. The object of this means is that the sheet may be moved carefully forward andpushed only to the guides, so that the front edge of the sheet will touch the guides, but not be pressed against the uides. This means consists'of the bar 81, eit er lying upon the machine or placed in slots in the framework 47, which is pivotally attached to the main feed-roll.

7 2 is an arbor journaled in the frame, and onone end it carries the gear 78 which is in engagement withthe power-driven gear 28. On the opposite end of the arbor 72 is the crank 71. Pivotallyattached to crank 71 is the connecting-arm 80, which is pivotally attached to the bar 81. Also to the gear 78 is sheet and push it forward. 84 is a shoe on the bottom side of 82 which carries the arm- 82 so that the bottom of 83 will not contact the bottom of the groove. Fig. 12 is a side view of the. arm 82 with the shoe84c and the adjustable-stop 83. Fig. 13 is an end View of the stop'83 and a cross-section view of the arm 82. In the operation of this mechanism it will be observed that thcbar 81 is recipro cated by a crank movement, and regardless of the size of the sheets being fed it always has the same stroke, but the width of the sheets beingfed is cared for by moving the stop 83 so that the distance, when the bar 81 is at its extreme forward point, between 83 and the stop to which the sheet is to be fed, will be equal to the width; of the-sheet. Thus at each reciprocation of the bar 81 it moves backward while the incoming sheet passes over the stops 83 and when the bar 81 is at its extreme return stroke the stops 83 will then, be in rear of the sheet, because the drop-roll is so timed that it will deliver any width of sheet so that the rear of that sheet will be in front of the stops 83, and so that each sheet will be accurately pushed against the stops on the machine being fed. It will be understood that the distance between the truck 86 and the delivery-rolls 50 and 55 is less than the smallest sheet fed, while the distance between the rolls 50 and 55 and the stops of the machine being fed is greater than the width of the largest sheet fed, and as the drop-roll and truck 86 are so adjusted and operated that they will, regardless of the width of thesheet, move the front edge of the sheet the same distance in front of the advancer-roll 124, thus regardless of the widthof the sheet the rear edge of the sheet wilhalways be moved out from the rolls 50 and 55, placing it in front of the stops 83 when they are at their extreme return stroke.

129 is a belt by which the drop-roll 12% is rotated, the power being gotten from the ar- 1001 50.

69 is an arm rigid upon the arbor 70, and carries a truck which contacts the cam 68 upon the arbor 9.

77 is a pull spring that holds the truck upon the cam 68.

90 is a hand wheel by which the comb arbor is raised and lowered.

Claims:

1. In a sheet feeding machine having a suitable framework, ,the combination therewith of a power operated elevator, a power rotated main arbor, a power rotated comb arbor, with suitable sheet combing devices thereon, suitable connections between the main arbor and the comb arbor, one bearing of the comb arbor being pivotedly attached to said connections, and the other bearing of the comb arbor being 'slidably mounted in one of the aforesaid connections, mean s to press downwardly the slidable comb arbor bearing,means adapted to raise the slidably mounted bearing.

2. In a sheet feeding machine having a suitable framework, the combination therewith of a power operated elevator, a power rotated main arbor, a power rotated comb arbor with suitable combing devices thereon, suitable connections between the main arbor and the comb-arbor, one bearing of the comb arbor bein pivotedly attached to said connections, an I the other bearing of the comb arbor being slidably mounted in one of the aforesaid connections, a spring adapted to press downwardly the slidable comb arbor bearing, a screw adapted to raise the slidable comb arbor bearing, means adapted to manually rotate said screw.

3. In a sheet feeding machine having a suitable framework, the combination therewith of an elevator suitably placed in said frame work and adapted to support a stack of sheets with means to advance the top sheet of said stack, a power operated pawl and ratchet in operative connection with said elevator, a depending arm attached to said frame work, a member adjustably pivoted to said depending arm, a shaft journaled in said adjustable member and in operative connection with said pawl and ratchet, a quadrant rigid upon said shaft and in frictional contact with said top sheet of stack.

4. In a sheet feeding machine having a suitable framework, the combination therewith of an elevator and suitably placed in said framework and adapted to support a stack of sheets with means to advance the top sheet of said stack, a power operated pawl and ratchet in operative connection with said elevator, a bell crank pivoted upon said framework with means to adjust it, an arbor journaled in said bell crank and at right angles to the course of travel of said top sheet, suitable connections between said arbor and said pawl and ratchet, a. quadrant mounted upon said-arbor and in frictional. contact with said top sheet.

5. In a sheet feeding machine having a suitable framework, the combination therewith of an elevator suitably placed in said framework and adapted to support a stack of sheets and with means to advance the top sheet of said stack, a power operated pawl and, ratchet in operative connection with said elevator, a shoe suitably pivoted and in operative connection with said pawl and ratchet, a depending arm attached to said framework, a member adjustably pivoted to said depending arm, a shaft journaled in said adjustable member and in operative connection with said shoe, a quadrant rigidly mounted upon said shaft and in frictional contact with said stack of sheets.

6. In a sheet feeding machine having a suitable framework, the combination there with of an elevator suitably placed in said framework and adapted to support a stack of sheets and with means to advance the top sheet of said stack, a power operated pawl and ratchet in operative connection with said elevator, a shoe suitably pivoted and in operative connection with said pawl and ratchet, a shaft journaled above said stack of sheets and at right angles to the path of travel of the top sheet, said shaft having one vertically adjustable bearing; a quadrant mounted upon said shaft and in frictional contact with said top sheet.

' 7. In a sheet feeding machine having asuitable framework, the combination therewith of a main feed roll, a framework pivotedly attached thereto, a feed arbor jour- I naled in said framework having feed trucks said frame work having trucks rigid upon it which contact the delivery. trucks on the main delivery arbor, tape trucks loosely mounted upon the second delivery arbor,

tapes upon the tape trucks.

JAMES G. HARDIE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE L; B UME,

HARRY N. 'GOSS. 

